Tritax Symmetry Limited (TSL)
Nova Business Park, Junction 2 of the M80 The erection of a storage and distribution warehouse (Class 6) with ancillary offices, including access, vehicle parking/ cleaning/ fuelling facilities, SUDS and landscaping.
The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 - EIA Screening and Scoping Report to Support a Regulation 8 (1) Request for EIA Screening Opinion and Regulation 17 (1) Request for a Scoping Opinion
50853/May 2021 (V6)
Nova Business Park EIA Screening Report Junction 2 of the M80, Robroyston, Glasgow Contents Tritax Symmetry Limited (TSL)
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...... 3
1.1 PURPOSE OF THE REPORT ...... 3 1.2 THE PROPOSAL ...... 4 1.3 ENVIRONMENT TEAM ...... 5 1.4 SPECIALIST STUDIES ...... 5 1.5 CONTENT OF THE REPORT ...... 6 THE SITE AND PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ...... 7
2.1 LOCATION AND CHARACTERISTICS ...... 7 2.2 PLANNING CONTEXT ...... 9 2.3 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ...... 10 DETERMINING THE NEED FOR STATUTORY EIA ...... 12
3.1 PURPOSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ...... 12 3.2 EIA LEGISLATION ...... 12 3.3 PLANNING CIRCULAR 1/17 (THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT) (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2017) ...... 12 3.4 EIA SCREENING REQUEST – REGULATION 8(1) OF THE EIA REGULATIONS 2017 ...... 13 POTENTIAL FOR ‘LIKELY SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS’ ...... 14
4.1 SOURCES OF INFORMATION ...... 14 4.2 POPULATION AND HUMAN HEALTH ...... 14 4.3 BIODIVERSITY, PROTECTED SPECIES AND HABITATS ...... 16 4.4 LAND USE, GEOLOGY, SOILS AND CONTAMINATED LAND ...... 19 4.5 WATER ENVIRONMENT, DRAINAGE AND FLOOD RISK ...... 23 4.6 AIR QUALITY ...... 27 4.7 NOISE ...... 31 4.8 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL ...... 35 4.9 CULTURAL HERITAGE ...... 38 4.10 TRANSPORT ...... 39 4.11 MATERIAL ASSETS ...... 42 4.12 MAJOR ACCIDENTS AND DISASTERS ...... 43 CONCLUSIONS ...... 45
APPENDIX 1 – Proposed Scope – Ecology, Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Report APPENDIX 2 – Proposed Scope – Landscape and Visual Impact Appraisal
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Introduction
1.1 Purpose of the Report
1.1.1 Tritax Symmetry Limited (TSL or ‘the Applicant’) has commissioned Ironside Farrar to complete an EIA Screening and Scoping exercise for a proposed new storage and distribution warehouse on land at Junction 2 of the M80. The site boundary is shown on Figure 1 below (larger copy of the plan is provided as Appendix 1). The centre of the site is at Grid Reference NS 63886 68254.
1.1.1 The EIA Screening and Scoping report has been produced under The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017.
1.1.2 This report supports a request for a Screening Opinion from Glasgow City Council under Regulation 8 (1) of the 2017 Regulations as to whether the development constitutes EIA Development. The report also supports a Regulation 17 (1) Request for a Scoping Opinion relative to the scope of supporting environmental reporting to be submitted as part of the planning application.
Figure 1 – Site Boundary (Corresponds to the Proposal of Application Notice)
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1.2 The Proposal
1.2.1 A Proposal of Application Notice (PoAN) has been submitted to Glasgow City Council (GCC). The description of development is as follows:
‘The proposed development comprises of warehousing with ancillary office space, associated vehicle parking, vehicle washing and fuelling facilities, access, SuDs and landscaping’
Figure 2 – Aerial Photograph (Source: Google Maps)
1.2.2 The development comprises the following key elements:
• Development of approximately 45.12 Acres / 18.26 Hectares • Vehicular access via Robroyston Way which connects to the B765 Robroyston Road and is approximately 650m to Junction 2 of the M80 Glasgow to Stirling motorway. • Construction of a new 46451.52 m2 warehouse, approximately 63 loading docks and associated infrastructure • Construction of a new 52500m2 ancillary office space and associated infrastructure • The height of the Proposed Development has been set at 114.07m AoD (23m AGL) with a Finished Floor Level of 91.07 m AoD. • Construction of a fuel and wash station and associated infrastructure • Approximately 372 car parking spaces
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• Approximately 156 HGV parking spaces • Creation of a new SUDS / drainage system • High quality landscape and amenity design
1.2.3 The site is allocated in the adopted Glasgow City Plan for economic development. It is also located within the wider Strategic Economic Investment Location (SEIL) as an “Opportunity Site” of Robroyston Nova Technology Park and identified as marketable land in the Council’s established business and industrial land supply. Further details on planning context are provided in Section 2.
1.3 Environment Team
1.3.1 This EIA Screening and Scoping Report has been led by Ironside Farrar with specialist input from the wider Design Team as set out in the following table:
Table 1 – EIA Screening and Scoping Team
Specialist Qualifications BSc (Hons), MSc, MIEnvSc, Kim McLaren, Director PIEMA, CEnv Henry Farrar, Associate BA (Hons), MSc, MRTPI Steph May-Roberts, Graduate Environmental BSc Hons, MSc, MSc Consultant Anna Wright BSc (Hons), MSc, CSci FGS Associate Civil Engineer Lynda Thomson, Director, Optimised BA(Hons) Landscape Environments Limited (OPEN) Architecture, CMLI BA Hons. Oxon, MSc, Dr Beccy Osborn, Director, Direct Ecology Ltd MCIEEM BSc MPhil CEnv MCIWM Steve Fraser, Director, The Airshed Ltd MIoA Mark Littlewood, Project Manager, AOC BA (Hons), MSc Archaeology
1.4 Specialist Studies
1.4.1 There are a number of ongoing workstreams and we have referenced studies and reports within this report where appropriate:
• Architecture and Design – UMC Architects • Landscape Framework - Optimised Environments Limited (OPEN) • Civil and Structural Engineers - Tier Consult • Planning – Colliers • Tree Survey – Donald Rodger Associates Ltd • Transport – Systra Ltd
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1.5 Content of the Report
1.5.1 The remainder of this report is split into the following main sections:
• Section 2 – The Site • Section 3 – Determining the Need for EIA • Section 4 – EIA Screening Assessment • Section 5 – Conclusions • Section 6 – Completed EIA Screening Checklist • Appendices – Proposed Scope of Non Statutory Studies
Plate 1 – Main entrance to Nova Business Park (Optimised Environments Ltd)
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The Site and Proposed Development
2.1 Location and Characteristics
2.1.1 The site area (the centre of which is located at NS 63192, 67990) extends to approximately 18.26 ha of largely former agricultural land located to the south of the M80 in the Robroyston area of Glasgow.
2.1.2 The site is an irregular shape and, although undulating, generally slopes down towards the south. There is a large man-made mound along the western boundary which is understood to be formed of excess material from the M80 construction.
2.1.3 The Site is predominantly flat lying, increasing gradually from 89m AOD in the north to 91m AOD in the south. The top of the slope in along the southwestern boundary is approximately 98m AOD.
2.1.4 The site is well screened around the perimeters due to the mature landscaping along the western, southern and eastern boundaries, which are listed on the Native Woodland Survey of Scotland (NWSS).
2.1.5 The tree cover within the site consists primarily of an even-aged woodland plantation. This contains many thousands of trees of similar species, age and character and which form a single, contiguous canopy. Scots pine, oak and ash are the dominant species and these have been planted in fairly even mixture mostly as species-pure clumps and groups. Other species recorded in small numbers include gean and beech.
2.1.6 In addition, three distinct groups of trees were identified. These comprise many individual specimens of lime and oak which are set out in a formal design.
2.1.7 The site is bounded by the M80 to the north. Robroyston Railway Station and park and ride facility is less than 1 mile north east of the site. Robroyston Road runs along the western boundary of the site, adjoining Robroyston Drive along the southern boundary. Retail and residential developments are present to the north of the M80 at Robroyston, whilst a railway line is present further to the south.
2.1.8 The site occupies a highly accessible location being adjacent to the M80 motorway, which provides links to Glasgow and Stirling in the central belt of Scotland. Access to the site is from Robroyston Road to the north and sperate access points can be taken from two roundabouts for the southern portion of the site at Robroyston Way and Robroyston Gate.
2.1.9 The area surrounding Nova Business Park comprises areas of open grassland, residential properties, Glasgow North retail park and the M80 Motorway. The nearest residential properties are located approximately 100 metres south east of the site at Hilda Crescent, Robroyston Road and Sheila Street, Barmulloch. Nova Park remains partially developed with existing Class 4 premises beyond the north eastern extent of
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the red line boundary. The Greene King restaurant – Wallace Well Farm is located immediately north of the site.
2.1.10 There is an electrical substation located along the northern boundary of the site serving the public house located directly north of the Site. The electric substation is understood to have been installed within the past 5 years.
2.1.11 Mapping from 19th (1843-1882) indicated that the majority of the site was agricultural land and Robroyston Loch was located beyond the north eastern boundary of the site. A railway line and Robroyston Station were established to the south of the site since the mid-19th century with the line remaining at the present time. Railway lines in cuttings and more extensive marshalling yards were also established during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries in the area to the south of the site with one of these lines being present within a cutting on the south-easter edge of the site. The M80 motorway was established to the north during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
2.1.12 Available data indicates that Made Ground was observed to a maximum depth of 7.20m and described as grey clayey sandy gravel or grey sandy gravelly clay, often containing abundant ash, bricks, ceramics, burnt shale and occasionally metal and timber.
2.1.13 Land to the north of the motorway has been extensively developed for commercial and residential use since the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Land to the south east of the railway line, within Millerston, was developed, largely for residential use, in various phases from the early 20th Century onwards with large scale residential development occurring during the 1960’s to 1980’s. Robroyston Loch was used for tipping of construction waste during periods of intense development in the area.
2.1.14 SEPA does not identify any surface water bodies within or adjacent to the site boundary. The ground is currently poorly drained and there is a long, linear body of standing water (circa 1m depth and approximately 150m long and 10m wide) which runs adjacent to the east boundary. A series of surface gravel land drains are present which connect to drains along the northern boundary of the Site.
2.1.15 The SEPA Flood Risk Management Mapping records the north eastern boundary of the site are identified as having ‘High’ risk of surface flooding.
2.1.16 There are no statutory environmental designations or historical/cultural designations on the site. The site is not located in a sensitive or designated landscape.
2.1.17 Beyond Robroyston Road and to the immediate west lies Robroyston Park, a Local Nature Reserve (LNR), part of which is locally designated as a Site of Importance to Nature Conservation (SINC). Hogganfield Park and Corwadan Moss lie approximately 0.9 km to the south and south east of the site as Local Nature Reserves (LNR). Millerston, Site of Importance to Nature Conservation (SINC) is located to the south east and is separated by the M80.
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2.1.18 The Coal Authority online mapping records that the site is within a Coal Mining Reporting Area however, the Site itself is not within a Development High Risk area. A High Development area is noted to lie adjacent to the western boundary and is separated by Robroyston Road. Several mine entries are recorded to lie adjacent to the western and southern boundary, which are separated by Robroyston Road and the railway line. The site is not recorded to be constrained for SuDS based on mining according to the NE Mining & Groundwater Constraints Filter.
2.1.19 There are three Sites of Special Landscape Importance in the wider study area at Auchinleck (1.1km to the NE), Springburn Park (1.6km to the west) and Lethamhill Golf Course to the south east (900m beyond the M80).
2.1.20 The site is currently under the ownership of Scottish Enterprise.
2.2 Planning Context
2.2.1 The adopted Glasgow City Development Plan (CDP, 2017) has allocated this site for economic development. The Site is also located within the wider Strategic Economic Investment Location (SEIL) as an “Opportunity Site” as Robroyston Business Park which supports development proposals within use classes 4, 5, 6 and appropriate ancillary uses. It is also identified as marketable land in Glasgow City Council’s established business and industrial land supply.
2.2.2 The Site Allocation requires that the site must be masterplanned, establishing the development layout, access arrangements, mix of uses and landscaping / open space.
2.2.3 The allocation also includes requirements in relation to addressing ground stability and contaminated land matters, landscaping and visual impact, transport and accessibility, ecology, and green space, and safeguarding the amenity of existing uses.
2.2.4 The allocation of the site through the CDP demonstrates the Council’s support for the principle of business and industrial development of the site, along with associated accesses, infrastructure, and landscaping works.
2.2.5 It is anticipated that an application for planning permission will be submitted in July 2021.
2.2.6 The site is under the ownership of Scottish Enterprise.
2.2.7 There is an approved consent for residential development to the east of the site and separated by the M80. Planning Permission in Principle was granted in 2013 and is currently being progressed through Matters Specified in Conditions (19/02203/MSC) applications.
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2.3 The Proposed Development
2.3.1 The proposed development layout (Figure 2) currently comprises:
• Development of approximately 45.12 Acres / 18.26 Hectares • Vehicular access via Robroyston Way which connects to the B765 Robroyston Road and is approximately 650m to Junction 2 of the M80 Glasgow to Stirling motorway. • Construction of a new 46451.52 m2 warehouse, approximately 63 loading docks and associated infrastructure • The height of the Proposed Development has been set at 114.07m AoD (23m AGL) with a Finished Floor Level of 91.07 m AoD • Construction of a 52500m2 ancillary office space and associated infrastructure • Construction of a fuel and wash station and associated infrastructure • Approximately 372 car parking spaces • Approximately 156 HGV parking spaces • Creation of a new SUDS / drainage system • High quality landscape and amenity design
Figure 3 – Indicative Site Proposals Plan
2.3.2 The proposed development is currently accessed from via Nova Business Park from Robroyston Road to the north and separate access points can be taken from two internal roundabouts for the southern portion of the Park at Robroyston Way and Robroyston Gate.
2.3.3 The proposed development will provide appropriate areas of hard and soft
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landscaping within the site to provide a high-quality natural environment, as well as tree and hedgerow planting at development boundaries to provide appropriate screening and environmental setting.
2.3.4 The proposals will incorporate Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) to accommodate the surface water drainage requirements on the site. The full detail of SUDS proposals will be provided within a Drainage Strategy to be submitted as part of the planning application, and which will inform the development layout.
2.3.5 Subject to the grant of planning permission, the development would be delivered in a single phase.
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Determining the Need for Statutory EIA
3.1 Purpose of Environmental Impact Assessment
3.1.1 The primary objective of Environmental Impact Assessment is to identify the likely consequences for the biological and physical environment and for human health and welfare, arising from a proposed development and to consider these issues within the development planning and design process.
3.1.2 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a means of drawing together, in a systematic way, an assessment of the likely significant environmental effects arising from a proposed development.
3.2 EIA Legislation
3.2.1 In Scotland, EIA is covered by The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017. Developments falling within a description in Schedule 1 to the 2017 EIA Regulations always require EIA. Development of a type listed in Schedule 2 to the 2017 EIA Regulations will require EIA if it is in an environmentally sensitive area or is likely to have a significant effect on the environment, by virtue of factors such as its size, nature, or location.
3.2.2 The proposed development would fall under Schedule 2 of the EIA Regulations and requires to be Screened to determine need or otherwise for EIA as shown in Table 2.
Table 2 – EIA Screening Descriptions and Thresholds
Column 1 Column 2 Is proposal likely to be Description of Applicable thresholds above threshold? Development and criteria 10 (b) Urban development Yes – the total site area is projects, including the The area of the circa 18.26 ha so construction of shopping development exceeds screening should be centres and car parks, 0.5 hectare undertaken to determine sport stadiums, leisure if EIA required. centres and multiplex
cinemas.
3.3 Planning Circular 1/17 (The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017)
3.3.1 The Circular gives further guidance on applying the Directive and Regulations in Scotland, including guidance for local authorities and developers on the legal framework and procedures.
3.3.2 Guidance is provided on selection criteria for determining the types of development for which EIA is required. The Circular notes that for each proposal, the basic question
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to be asked is ‘Would this particular development be likely to have significant effects on the environment?’.
3.3.3 In Section 4 we have summarised the environmental baseline, potential impacts arising from the development, whether these are considered likely to be significant and mitigation that has or will be applied through the development. Conclusions are set out in Section 5 and in Section 6 we have provided our completed EIA Screening Checklist using the Scottish Government template. Detailed methodology for the ecology and landscape assessments are provided in the Appendices.
3.4 EIA Screening Request – Regulation 8(1) of the EIA Regulations 2017
3.4.1 This environmental screening and scoping report including the EIA checklist supports a formal request to City of Glasgow Council under Regulation 8(1) of The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017.
3.4.2 The applicant is committed to environmental best practice and protection of local amenity and has commissioned a range of surveys and assessments which will support the planning application.
3.4.3 The Following sections review the likelihood of significant effects across the range of environmental topic areas to facilitate a screening opinion as to the requirement, or otherwise of statutory Environmental Impact Assessment and production of an EIA Report versus production of non-statutory environmental reporting. We have identified mitigation that should be applied, and further assessment recommended.
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Potential for ‘Likely Significant Effects’
4.1 Sources of Information
4.1.1 The environmental screening report is based on the following information sources:
• Consideration of potential impacts against a check list of environmental criteria identified in the EIA Regulations 2017 and Circular 1/17– Screening Checklist. • NatureScot website and Scotland’s Environment Web – information on nature conservation designations etc. • SEPA website and Scotland’s Environment Web - information regarding flooding, water quality, groundwater, pollution prevention etc. • Historic Environment Scotland and Scotland’s Environment Web – Listed Buildings, Scheduled Ancient Monument Records etc. • NatureScot (SNH) Handbook on Environmental Impact Assessment, Version 5, 2018; • OS Maps, Plans, Data. • British Geological Society Published Mapping and Coal Authority Mapping. • Glasgow Local Biodiversity Action Plan (February 2019). • Glasgow City Development Plan adopted March 2017 with accompanying supplementary guidance; and • Specialist advice from our team of environmental scientists, geologists, hydrologists, ecologists and landscape architects.
4.2 Population and Human Health
Baseline
4.2.1 The proposed application site is a strategic location which lies off Junction 2 of the M80 (Glasgow – Stirling) motorway, as well as links to the nearby M8 (Glasgow- Edinburgh) motorway, M73 and M74 (Glasgow - Carlisle) motorway.
4.2.2 There are direct links to Glasgow Airport, with Edinburgh International Airport only 40 miles away. Robroyston Railway Station and park and ride facility is less than 1 mile north east of the site, providing access to the city centre.
4.2.3 Barnhill Railway station is 2 miles away and Lenzie station is 3 miles away, which provides a direct link to Edinburgh.
4.2.4 Numerous buses pass through Robroyston Road, including the 72, 8 and 19A services, connecting the proposed site with Bishopbriggs, Lenzie as well as the city centre and west end of Glasgow.
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4.2.5 Access into the proposed Site is from Robroyston Road to the north and separate access points can be taken from two roundabouts for the southern portion of the Park at Robroyston Way and Robroyston Gate.
4.2.6 There are several settlements within a 5km radius of the proposed settlement:
• Robroyston and Millerston are the closest settlements, separated by the M80 and the railway line and M80 motorway. Robroyston les to the immediate norths and Millerston lies the immediate south, with an estimated population of 6,352 in 20191. • Stepps is located approximately 2.3 km to the east of the proposed application site, with an estimated population of 8,320 in 20191. • Balnornock is located approximately 3.2 km south west of the proposed development, with an estimated population of 3, 439 in 20192. • Bishopbriggs is located approximately 4.8km to the south west, with an estimated population of 6,505 in 20192.
4.2.7 All locations provide a range of community-based services including healthcare and education as well as typical amenities such as retail and service-based businesses.
4.2.8 Glenmill Medical Practice is situated in Blackhill approximately 2.5 km south west of the site and is closest medical facility. Wallace will Medical Centre is approximately 4.6km and is located to the north west the proposed development, and Glasgow Royal Infirmary (within City of Glasgow) is approximately 6km west of the site.
Potential Impacts
4.2.9 The proposed development will provide a new storage and distribution centre and associated infrastructure.
4.2.10 Potential impacts on elements such as air quality, traffic, noise, and landscape and visual impacts have been considered in this report as they relate to the protection of existing land uses and local residents / other occupiers.
4.2.11 There are potential impacts on the local transport network resulting from additional travel behaviours of staff during operational phase.
Mitigation
1 https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/cities/scotland/ 2 https://statistics.gov.scot/atlas/resource
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4.2.12 Potential construction phase impacts would be addressed through a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP).
4.2.13 The Masterplan will address traffic and access requirements and will be informed by an appropriate landscape framework to provide landscape screening and planting around the site.
4.2.14 The development is well connected and accessible by virtue of its proximity to M80 (Glasgow – Stirling) motorway which provides links to Edinburgh, Carlisle and the Central Belt. The settlements of Millerston to the south and Robroyston to the north are also served by this junction.
Likely Significant Effects 4.2.15 The site will be developed in accordance with an approved Masterplan and supporting technical studies, therefore no significant effects on population and human health are anticipated as a result of the proposed development and no further assessment is required for this topic area.
4.3 Biodiversity, Protected Species and Habitats
Baseline
4.3.1 The proposed development site is not designated for any statutory natural heritage feature. The closest designated site is Robroyston Park Local Nature Reserve (LNR) which is adjacent to the site boundary beyond the B765. Hogganfield Park LNR is 0.8km from the site, while Cardowan Moss LNR is 1.5km from the site.
4.3.2 One area of woodland listed on the Ancient Woodland Inventory was identified within 2km of the site. This is an unnamed Long-established (of plantation origin) (LEPO) woodland, 1.8km from the site.
Desk Study
4.3.3 A request has been made to Glasgow Museums Biological Record Centre for records of protected and notable species within 2km of the site, and any non-statutory designated sites. According to commercially available records (NBN Atlas https://nbnatlas.org/) a number of protected and notable species are present within 2km of the site including common and soprano pipistrelle, water vole, badger and barn owl.
4.3.4 Previous survey work undertaken in 2018 confirmed the presence of water vole within the site boundary.
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Habitats
4.3.5 The site is dominated by an area of marshy grassland which according to aerial imagery is very occasionally mown. The site is bound to the south by a belt of early mature mixed plantation woodland containing Scots pine, silver birch, oak, beech and cherry. Also to the south of the site is a raised bank comprising of dry neutral grassland.
4.3.6 Two well established water bodies are present at the site- one to the north-west and one to the east, in addition several damper areas containing reedmace are present to the north.
Figure 3 – Phase 1 Habitat Map (2021) plus Target Notes
Protected Species
4.3.7 A suite of surveys are underway for a range of protected species including reptiles, great crested newt and water vole. In addition, breeding bird surveys are being undertaken to establish territories of any breeding birds.
Potential Impacts
Protected Sites
4.3.8 No impacts to any statutory designated protected sites are anticipated. Further details of any non-statutory protected sites within 2km have been sought.
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Habitats
4.3.9 The proposals will result in the direct loss of the majority of the marshy grassland and wetland habitat at the site. The woodland belt is to be retained alongside the proposals and several new wetland areas are proposed.
Protected Species
4.3.10 Impacts to protected species are yet to be established however based on initial observations it is likely that a small population of ‘fossorial’ water vole are present at the site and therefore direct loss of burrows and habitat is predicted.
Mitigation
4.3.11 The findings of the surveys currently underway will be immediately fed back into the Masterplanning process to maximise opportunities to avoid and minimise the extent and significance of impacts. Should it be deemed required, a water vole receptor area will be established within the proposals and a licence will be sought from NatureScot to undertake a translocation.
4.3.12 Mitigation measures will be provided to reduce the effects of all potentially adverse impacts and due consideration should be given to biodiversity enhancement and practical gains.
4.3.13 A detailed scheme of landscaping will be submitted alongside the application, this will provide measures for open space, landscaping areas, wetland areas and tree planting.
Likely Significant Effects
4.3.14 There is the potential for significant effects to habitats (ponds) and protected species.
4.3.15 However, through appropriate surveys, the integration of survey information into the Masterplanning process, good design and effective construction management, it is likely that impacts to important habitats (e.g. those on the Scottish Biodiversity List) and protected species can be avoided or mitigated to an acceptable level Enhancement measures will be integrated into the Masterplan and Landscape Framework.
4.3.16 In accordance with CIEEM guidelines (https://cieem.net/resource/guidelines-for- ecological-impact-assessment-ecia/) it is recommended an Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) will be produced to assess potential significant impacts on habitats and protected species.
4.3.17 Details on the surveys currently underway are provided in Appendix 1.
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4.4 Land Use, Geology, Soils and Contaminated Land
Baseline
Sources of information:
• BGS 1:50,000 Geology Series, Scotland Sheet 32W, Bedrock and Superficial, 2007 • BGS 1:50,000 Geology Series, Scotland Sheet 32W, Bedrock, 2006 • BGS Geology of Britain online viewer - https://www.bgs.ac.uk/map- viewers/geology-of-britain-viewer/ • Coal Authority Viewer - https://mapapps2.bgs.ac.uk/coalauthority/home.html • Scotland’s Soils Mapping - https://soils.environment.gov.scot/maps/ • National Library Scotland Historic Mapping
Land Use
4.4.1 The site is an irregular shape and, although undulating, generally slopes down towards the south. The site is well screened around the perimeters, very mature landscaping, and trees are present to along the boundary of the entire site, which are listed on the Native Woodland Survey of Scotland (NWSS).
4.4.2 The site is bounded by the M80 to the north. Robroyston Railway Station and park and ride facility is less than 1 mile north east of the site. Robroyston Road runs along the western boundary of the site, adjoining Robroyston Drive along the southern boundary. Retail and residential developments are present to the north of the M80 at Robroyston, whilst a railway line is present further to the south.
4.4.3 Access to the site is from Robroyston Road to the north and sperate access points can be taken from two roundabouts for the southern portion of the site at Robroyston Way and Robroyston Gate.
4.4.4 The area surrounding Nova Business Park comprises areas of open grassland, residential properties, Glasgow North retail park and the M80 Motorway. The nearest residential properties are located approximately 100 metres south east of the site at Hilda Crescent, Robroyston Road and Sheila Street, Barmulloch.
4.4.5 Made ground can be anticipated on exposed faces of embankments within the northern, western and southern edge of the site and are assumed to be associated with the construction of the M80, Robroyston Road and railway line.
4.4.6 Mapping from 19th (1843-1882) indicated that the majority of the site was agricultural land and Robroyston Loch was located beyond the north eastern boundary of the site. A railway line and Robroyston Station were established to the south of the site since the mid-19th century with the line remaining at the present time. Railway lines in cuttings and more extensive marshalling yards were also established during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries in the area to the south of the site with one of these lines
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being present within a cutting on the south-easter edge of the site. The M80 motorway was established to the north during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
4.4.7 Land to the north of the motorway has been extensively developed for commercial and residential use since the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Land to the south east of the railway line, within Millerston, was developed, largely for residential use, in various phases from the early 20th Century onwards with large scale residential development occurring during the 1960’s to 1980’s. Robroyston Loch was used for tipping of construction waste during periods of intense development in the area.
Soils 4.4.8 Land Capability for agriculture mapping shows soils on the site to be Class 4.2 and described as ‘Land capable of producing a narrow range of crops, primarily on grassland with short arable breaks of forage crops’. Historic records suggest that the site has generally been utilised as arable land until the construction of the railway line in the 19th century and the M80 in the 20th century.
Superficial Deposits
4.4.9 British Geological Survey (BGS) indicated that superficial deposits across the entire site are found to consist of Till noted as diamicton, stony and sandy to clayey. Made ground can be anticipated around the existing road network.
4.4.10 Drift thickness is not recorded on the BGS mapping, it may be available on Environmental Geology Maps held by the BGS Library, but these are not currently available.
Bedrock Geology 4.4.11 Published British Geological Survey (BGS) data indicates that the geology of the site is Clackmannan Group which is a sedimentary bedrock formed approximately 324 to 329 million years ago in the Carboniferous Period. The Clackmannan group comprises of limestone. 4.4.12 There are no local, national, or internationally designated sites of geological importance within 1km of the Site. Due to the nature of the development, designated sites are not considered to be potential receptors to impacts associated with the works. Geology is of negligible sensitivity.
Mining
4.4.13 The Coal Authority online mapping records that the site is within a Coal Mining Reporting Area, however, the Site itself is not within a Development High Risk area. A high development area is noted to lie adjacent to the western boundary and is separated by Robroyston Road. Several mine entries are recorded to lie adjacent to the western and southern boundary, which are separated by Robroyston Road and the railway line. The site is not recorded to be constrained for SuDS based on mining according to the NE Mining & Groundwater Constraints Filter.
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4.4.14 Upper and Lower Hirst Coal Seam shown be present underlying the southern section of the Site at approximately 30m bgl on local BGS boreholes.
4.4.15 A Consultants Coal Mining Report (Ref. 51002394315001) has been obtained from the Coal Authority. In summary the report concludes:
• Moderate risk associated with the recorded mine workings within the Upper Hirst Seam underlying the Site; • Moderate risk of unrecorded shallow mine workings within the Upper and Lower Hirst Seam; • Low to moderate risk of unrecorded mine entries associated with unrecorded shallow mine workings within the Upper Hirst Seam; • Very Low risk of unrecorded opencast coal workings associated with the Upper Hirst Seam in the southwest of the Site; • Moderate risk of hazardous ground gases associated with historic coal mine workings and the presence of coal seams beneath the Site.
Contamination
4.4.16 Information on the site’s historical use was obtained through an inspection of available historic Ordnance Surveys maps. Potential sources of contamination identified by this review are:
• Historical mining activities; • Historic agricultural activities; • Contamination associated with adjacent developments.
4.4.17 As described above, historical mapping indicates past agricultural use followed by a period of more intense development of the site and wider area to create major infrastructure and associated features.
4.4.18 According to the Ground Investigation Report (Tier Consult, April 2021) ‘widespread low level asbestos impacts have been reported that are considered to present a potentially unacceptable risk to human health receptors for a commercial/industrial land use. The dust inhalation pathways associated with asbestos impacted soils may be realised in areas where Made Ground soils remain at the surface (i.e. soft landscaped areas) therefore imported clean cover soils would be required. It is considered that these pathways will be broken in areas of proposed hardstanding and building footprints such that no remediation will be required in those areas’
Potential Impacts
4.4.19 The proposed development will involve earthworks to produce development areas, to create access roads and to construct the drainage system. The potential for impacts on geology and soils may result from the historic and current agricultural land uses,
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coal mining and transportation uses around the periphery. In the absence of mitigation, the potential impacts to the geology and soil include, but are not limited to:
• Construction: mobilisation of potential contaminants during construction which could migrate to the soils, Water Environment and impact on Human Health; • Construction: contamination of the site as a result of spillages during construction; • Construction: generation of waste soils during earthworks cut and fill. • Development: loss of agricultural land, soils and soil attributes; • Development: loss or sterilisation of mineral reserves; • Development: ground stability issues; • Development: occurrences of soil and groundwater contamination;
Mitigation
4.4.20 Topsoil should be carefully managed and reused on site where possible within landscaped areas to protect the resource.
4.4.21 Further intrusive ground investigation works have been recommended in relation to coal mining risk:
• Probe drilling to confirm the depth and condition of the shallow coal seam underlying the Site, to determine if the seam has been worked in the past. • Probe drilling to confirm the depth of condition of the recorded shallow mine workings underlying the Site. • Watching brief is undertaken during the site strip and excavation works for any potential unrecorded mine entries.
4.4.22 Mitigation measures will be designed to protect the quality of surface water and groundwater and reduce potential contamination risks to human health at construction and operation phase.
4.4.23 A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) will be produced and will reference remediation measures identified through site investigation works and Ground Conditions reporting.
4.4.24 Development of the site would adhere to environmental legislation and best practice guidance in relation to protection of human health and the water environment, and to the appropriate management of soils during construction.
Likely Significant Effects
4.4.25 The development represents a change in land use; however, the site is included within the adopted Glasgow City Development Plan and is allocated for economic development. It is also included within the wider Strategic Economic Investment Location (SEIL) of Robroyston Nova Technology Park which supports development proposals within use classes 4, 5, 6. It is also identified as marketable land in the
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Glasgow City Council’s established business and industrial land supply, and therefore, the principle of development has been accepted in this location.
4.4.26 No special geological features, rare superficial soils or geology are present on the site meaning no significant loss of attribute.
4.4.27 A detailed assessment of geology, soils and contamination impacts under the EIA regulations is not considered necessary as impacts are not anticipated to be significant providing mitigation identified through detailed technical studies including Geo- environmental and Geo-technical reporting is applied.
4.5 Water Environment, Drainage and Flood Risk
Sources of information:
• Scotland’s Environment Map and Data - https://www.environment.gov.scot/ • SEPA’s Website and Guidance - https://www.sepa.org.uk/ • LCRM Tier 1 & 2 Ground Investigation For Nova Business Park, Glasgow, Tier Environmental Ltd, 21st April 2021 DRAFT
Baseline
Surface Water Bodies
4.5.1 SEPA does not identify any surface water bodies within or adjacent to the site boundary. The ground is currently poorly drained and there is a long, linear body of standing water (circa 1m depth and approximately 150m long and 10m wide) which runs adjacent to the east boundary. A series of surface gravel land drains are present which connect to drains along the northern boundary of the Site.
Groundwater
4.5.2 Standing groundwater levels of between 0.10m and 8.42m were encountered in the boreholes / trial pits, predominantly as discontinuous perched groundwater within the Made Ground above the Till.
4.5.3 Tier Environmental have determined, based upon the encountered geology, and measured groundwater levels beneath the site that the Till deposits in the centre of the site form a watershed. This watershed creates two directions of flow, one to the north and the other to the south. The Made Ground is predominantly cohesive and therefore the groundwater body is considered a discontinuous body.
4.5.4 No current SEPA licensed groundwater abstractions have been identified within a 500m radius of the site. The closest surface water feature is the on‐site elongate pond (understood to be a cut off trench for surface water runoff) in the east of the site at circa 90m AOD. Additionally, surface water features are located to the north, the Stand Burn is approximately 50m north west of the site and is topographically higher
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than the site circa 93m AOD. There is an unnamed river approximately 100m south of the site beyond the motorway that is a topographically lower than the site circa 80m AOD.
4.5.5 Following the Water Framework Directive, SEPA maintains its quality classification of the water environment following River Basin Management Planning (RBMP). The Clyde sub basin district was classified as poor. Drinking Water Protection Zones are not defined in Scotland; following SEPAs position all of Scotland’s groundwater bodies are designated as Drinking Water Protected Areas.
4.5.6 In terms of contamination of controlled waters, the report further indicates that there are some marginal exceedances of copper, nickel, selenium and ammonia have been reported. There were other noted contaminants including Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) which reflect the past land uses but are not considered to represent a significant risk to the water environment.
Hydrogeology
4.5.7 Groundwater below the site is part of the Glasgow and Motherwell (ID: 150677) which is 514.8 km2 in area and a constituent of the Scotland River Basin District. In 2014 (most recent data) the overall status of this groundwater body was classified as Poor due to legacy mining issues.
4.5.8 Conceptually, the Site is underlain by Made Ground underlain by Till Deposits comprising layers of clay underlain at depths of between 0.70 and 16.20m bgl underlain by the Upper Limestone Formation generally described as extremely weak, light grey Sandstone. The underlying Upper Limestone Formation is classified as a Moderately Productive Aquifer, whereas the shallow cohesive Till Deposits is described as having low permeability.
Drinking Water
4.5.9 The site is not within a drinking water protection area for surface water. All of Scotland is within a Drinking Water Protected Area with respect to groundwater.
4.5.10 The Drinking Water Quality Regulator no longer displays a map of private water supplies as it is the responsibility of the Local Authority to maintain a register of private water supplies. Consequently, Glasgow City Council will be consulted for up- to-date information on Private Water Supplies.
4.5.11 SEPA Compliance Assessment scheme records no abstractions in the vicinity of the site.
Flooding
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4.5.12 A Flood Risk Assessment has been carried out (Tier Consult, May 2021). This confirms that the site is not at risk of flooding from a major source (e.g. fluvial and/or tidal) and is at ‘little or no risk’ of river/coastal flooding, with less than a 1 in 1000 annual probability of watercourse, tidal or coastal flooding in any year (<0.1%). The actual flood risk posed to site is low each year with a chance of less than 1 in 1000 (0.1%) years.
4.5.13 The SEPA Flood Map shows that site is not located within the 1 in 200 year flood outline and is therefore, not located within the functional floodplain. Even with the effects of climate change (i.e. an increase in rainfall of 44%), the site would not be inundated with floodwater during the 1 in 200 year event.
4.5.14 The site is not located within the vicinity of fluvial flooding sources and the risk of fluvial flooding is considered to be not significant. In terms of secondary flooding sources, these are Surface Water (pluvial) Flooding or Sewer Flooding, both of which could pose a low risk to the site but are also considered to be not significant.
4.5.15 The risk of flooding from all sources is considered to be low or not significant.
4.5.16 The proposed development is classified as ‘least vulnerable’, ‘least vulnerable’ uses are appropriate at this location after the completion of a satisfactory FRA. The flood risk at the site, will be further managed and mitigated by using a number of risk management techniques, and mitigation strategies to manage and reduce the overall flood risk at the site.
Services
4.5.17 There are a range of existing services on site – refer to Section 4.11.
Potential Impacts
4.5.18 Potential impacts relating to the construction phase include:
• Earthworks may mobilise pollutants in soil and allow them to contaminate water resources through surface water run-off and percolation to groundwater; • Exposed soils causing increased sediment runoff to the watercourse; • Earthworks/ creation of new SuDS/ drainage systems/temporary bunding or material stockpiles may alter runoff, hydrology or morphology of surface water / groundwater water resulting in changes to flood risk or habitats; • Potential damage to existing water & drainage infrastructure; • Pollution from accidental spillage of fuels, hydraulic fluids and lubricants; • Pollution due to vandalism of stores or plant; • Foul drainage from washrooms, wheel washing, etc. impacting on surface water or groundwater; • Water abstraction/ dewatering or change in groundwater level may alter hydrological regime;
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4.5.19 Potential impacts during the operational phase include:
• Changes in volume and rate of surface runoff from impermeable surfaces such as affecting flow characteristics or causing soil erosion; • Pollution of groundwater and receiving watercourses from accumulated contaminants in runoff from these surfaces and from commercial uses and landscaped areas, e.g., debris from plant litter, fuel, dust, surfactants, pesticides and herbicides, salt; • Changes to the permeability of surface cover may impact on the underlying hydraulic regime and groundwater recharge; • Surface drainage schemes may alter the flow characteristics of the neighbouring areas;
Mitigation
4.5.20 A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) will be produced as part of the planning application. Existing water and drainage infrastructure will be marked out and protected.
4.5.21 Should dewatering of excavations be necessary, this will be carried out under SEPA CAR General Binding Rules, or under licence if required.
4.5.22 Mitigation measures have been identified as part of Ground Investigation (Tier UK, May 2021). These include the following:
• General site clearance including hardstanding, obstructions, vegetation and Topsoil; • Bulk earthworks to achieve the proposed development levels, with fill materials compacted in accordance with a recognised specification, such as Specification for Highways Works Series 600; • Removal and verification of any previously unidentified areas of contamination, where required; • Backfill of resultant excavations with suitable material; • Remediation Options Appraisal and Strategy; • Site Waste Management Plan for sustainable reuse of materials; • Drilling and grouting to stabilise the shallow mineworkings (investigation works on‐ going); • Installation of hazardous ground gas protection measures in accordance with BS8485, consider costing for CS4 until the ground gas monitoring is completed and issue in FINAL Report; • Possible continuous gas monitoring if less stringent gas protection measures are proposed; • Laboratory chemical testing and risk assessment of all imported materials; and, • Installation of a 300mm clean cover system in any soft landscaping areas.
4.5.23 A Drainage Strategy for the development will be prepared and submitted. This will include SUDS design to CIRIA C753 and Sewers for Scotland 4 standard, which will
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promote mimicry of natural drainage and source control, with treatment as required using the Simple Index Approach. Appropriately designed SuDS would reduce impacts to the hydrological regime to neutral and ensure that surface water runoff is treated and attenuated, controlling water quality and quantity, and consequently not impacting on the flood risk.
4.5.24 The SUDS incorporated as part of the masterplan informed by technical input from the design team will be managed and maintained throughout the life of the development. It is assumed there will be a foul connection and mains water supply agreed with utilities providers.
4.5.25 A Flood Risk Assessment has been produced and will be submitted as part of the technical assessments for the site and will inform the masterplan / design.
Likely Significant Effects
4.5.26 Assuming the recommendations are adopted and SEPA, SW, CIRIA, BRE and local council guidance and best practice are adhered to, potential significant impacts are not anticipated. The application will be supported by the submission of technical reporting to cover Site Investigation, Drainage Strategy and Utilities and Flood Risk.
4.6 Air Quality
Baseline
4.6.1 Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 requires local authorities to review and assess local air quality. The local authority is obliged to take any potential exceedance of air quality Objectives into account. Where the air quality Objectives are likely to be exceeded then the relevant local authority must declare an Air Quality Management Area. Under the Guidance to local authorities published by the Scottish Government, local authorities are required to carry out a staged assessment of local air quality. The most recent Technical Guidance to local authorities for the review and assessment of air quality was issued in 2021.3 This Guidance (TG16) sets out the methods to be used to determine if the air quality Objectives are likely to be achieved.
4.6.2 The UK Government has published its Air Quality Strategy4 which sets out how the Government proposes to comply with air quality Standards. The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland sets out the policy, targets and objectives for air pollutants.
4.6.3 The objectives adopted in Scotland for the purpose of Local Air Quality Management are set out in the Air Quality (Scotland) Regulations 20005 (which implemented an EC Directive on air quality standards), the Air Quality (Scotland) Amendment Regulations
3 The Scottish Government April 2021. Local Air Quality Management Technical Guidance (TG16). 4 DEFRA & Scottish Executive 2007. UK Air Quality Strategy Vols. 1 & 2 5 SCOTTISH STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2000 No. 97 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION The Air Quality (Scotland) Regulations 2000 31st March 2000
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6 2003 (which set lower limits for benzene and PM10), and the Air Quality (Scotland) 7 Amendment Regulations 2016 (which set a lower limit for PM2.5). The Air Quality Standards (Scotland) Regulations 2010 impose additional requirements for the protection of vegetation and requirements for assessment and reporting. Further details on Scottish Government air quality policies are set out in Policy Guidance.8
4.6.4 Scottish air quality regulations of most relevance to this project are annual mean exposure to NO2, and particles (as PM10 and PM2.5). These regulations impose a 3 statutory annual mean Limit Value of 40 ug/m for NO2 when considering long-term exposure to the public. The Scottish Government has adopted an annual mean 3 3 Objectives of 18 ug/m for PM10 and 10 ug/m for PM2.5 (the latter based on the WHO recommended annual mean Guideline).9
4.6.5 The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published air quality guidelines for particles. This proposes guidelines and interim guidelines for a range of pollutants including PM10 and PM2.5, where the recommended annual mean exposure to PM10 3 3 and PM2.5 is less than 20 ug/m and 10 ug/m respectively. These guidelines state that when assessing impacts from particles the use of PM2.5 is preferred, due to the adverse effects of ultrafine particles on human health. The change for PM10 (increasing the annual mean Objective from 18 ug/m3 to 20 ug/m3 to harmonise the Scottish air quality Objective for PM10 with WHO Guidelines) has been delayed to allow for the establishment of a PM2.5 monitoring network.
4.6.6 Glasgow City Council has conducted numerous reviews of air quality. The most recently published report (for 2018)10 reported a slight decline in air pollution compared to previous years and that air quality in Byres Road/Dumbarton Road and Parkhead Cross continued to improve, to the extent that the air quality management area (AQMA) at Parkhead Cross could be revoked. Levels of annual mean exposure to NO2 continues to exceed the annual mean Limit Value in some congested streets within the city centre.
4.6.7 Air quality standards to protect public health should apply to all locations where members of the public may be reasonably likely to be exposed to air pollution for the duration of the relevant objective. Thus, short term standards such as the 1-hour Limit Value for NO2 should apply to locations which may be frequented by the public even for a short period of time. Longer term objectives such as the 24 hour or annual mean for NO2 and PM10 should apply only at houses or other sensitive locations which the public can be expected to occupy on a continuous basis. These objectives do not apply to exposure at the workplace.
6 HMSO 2003. No. 428 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION The Air Quality Limit Values (Scotland) Regulations 2003. 7 Scottish Statutory Instrument 2016 162 The Air Quality (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2016. 8 Scottish Government March 2016. Policy Guidance PG(S) (16) 9 World Health Organisation 2005. WHO Air Quality guidelines for particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. 10 Glasgow City Council 2019. Air Quality Annual Progress Report http://www.scottishairquality.scot/assets/documents//2019APR.pdf
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4.6.8 The annual mean Critical Level for NOx intended to protect vegetation does not apply in urban areas.11 The air quality impacts from the scheme on ecology have therefore not been assessed further.
4.6.9 There are no air quality monitoring sites operated by Glasgow City Council within the likely study area. Estimates of background pollution of particles (PM10) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx and NO2) for the current conditions shall be obtained from the Scottish 12 Government sponsored air quality archive. The baseline data for PM2.5 shall be obtained from DEFRA estimates.13
Potential Impacts
4.6.10 In the short term the potential impacts on local air quality and loss of amenity from dust generating operations during the construction process will be addressed through the CEMP.
4.6.11 Air pollution from road traffic can affect human health through the inhalation of toxic gases and particles. The main pollutants of concern in the study area are likely to be long-term exposure to NO2 and airborne particles e.g. PM10 and PM2.5. The assessment will consider the potential impacts on existing sensitive receptors near affected roads. The details of the proposed method of space heating for the proposed installation have not been determined, but it is likely that this shall be based on ground or air source heat pumps using carbon-neutral electricity, with no atmospheric emissions.
4.6.12 The IAQM/EPUK Guidance on the assessment of air quality impacts proposes an assessment framework for combustion air pollutants (including boiler plant and road traffic). The extent of the study area of the air quality impact assessment (AQIA) for road traffic will initially be determined by the extent of road traffic likely to be generated by the scheme. Current professional non-statutory Guidance14 indicates that a quantitative AQIA should be conducted where a scheme is predicted to change the 24-hour AADT by >100 vehicles per day when the development is within or adjacent to an air quality management area (AQMA). A higher threshold of 500 AADT applies where no AQMA is affected. There are no AQMA within the likely study area. 15. The nearest extant AQMA are in the city centre16 and Byres Road/Dumbarton Road17, but these are too distant to be affected by road traffic generated by the proposed scheme.
4.6.13 The air quality criteria to be used to assess the impacts of the scheme are described in Table 3 below. The IAQM Guidance recommends that PM2.5 should be used to
11 European Directive 2008/50/EC 21st May 2008 on ambient air and cleaner air for Europe. Para 10 states that ‘The risk posed by air pollution to vegetation and natural ecosystems is most important in places away from urban areas. The assessment of such risks and the compliance with critical levels for the protection of vegetation should therefore focus on places away from built-up areas.’ 12 http://www.scottishairquality.scot/data/mapping?view=data 13 http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/data/laqm-background-maps?year=2017 14 IAQM January 2017. Land-Use Planning & Development Control:Planning for Air Quality 15 http://www.scottishairquality.scot/laqm/aqma 16 http://www.scottishairquality.scot/assets/aqma-maps/Glasgow.jpg 17 http://www.scottishairquality.scot/assets/aqma-maps/Byres_Rd.jpg
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assess the impacts from exposure to particulates, rather than PM10. This reflects the advice in the 2005 WHO Guidance discussed above. The assessment criteria to be used in this study are also set out in Table 3 below. These are based on the statutory Limit Value for NO2 and the current Scottish Objectives for particles. The results from air quality monitoring reported in Glasgow indicate that levels of PM2.5 comply with this Objective.
Table 3 – Summary of Assessment Criteria
Pollutant Assessment Level Justification 3 PM10 18 ug/m annual mean Scottish Air Quality Objective 3 PM2.5 10 ug/m annual mean Scottish Air Quality Objective 3 NO2 40 ug/m annual mean UK statutory Limit Value
4.6.14 The assessment framework used to assess the significance of the impacts is set out in Table 4 below. The significance criteria in Table 4 are for annual mean concentrations only. These assessment criteria are based on non-statutory professional Guidance.
Table 4 – Definition of Impact (IAQM 2017)
Long term average % Change in concentration relative to Air Quality concentration at Assessment Level (AQAL) receptor in assessment 1% 2-5% 6-10% >10% year 75% or less of AQAL Negligible Negligible Slight Moderate 76-94% of AQAL Negligible Slight Moderate Moderate 95-102% of AQAL Slight Moderate Moderate Substantial 103-109% of AQAL Moderate Moderate Substantial Substantial 110% or more of AQAL Moderate Substantial Substantial Substantial N.B. A predicted change of 0% (i.e. <0.5%) is considered to be of Negligible significance.
4.6.15 The extent of the study area for the AQIA is initially determined by the availability of traffic data from the TA. The extent of the TA study area shall be determined by SYSTRA in consultation with Glasgow City Council. This is likely to include all roads between the proposed development and the M80. The air quality impacts will be predicted in accordance with LAQM Technical Guidance TG16.
Mitigation
4.6.16 A CEMP shall be produced for the site to address potential construction stage impacts which would be anticipated to include a Construction Traffic Management Plan and a Dust Management Plan. The scope of these documents would be agreed with Glasgow City Council.
4.6.17 The air quality impacts from space heating for the proposed buildings shall be
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minimised. office heating will predominantly be electric, but there will be an element of gas fired items for the tenant fit out, such as ventilation and hot water
4.6.18 The TA shall include a green travel plan.
4.6.19 Appropriate provision shall be made for the charging of electrically powered vehicles.
4.6.20 The scheme shall be designed to prevent or minimise the release of atmospheric pollutants so that the impacts are of negligible or slight adverse significance as a worst-case.
Likely Significant Effects
4.6.21 It is likely that air quality impacts will be of negligible or slight adverse significance as a worst-case.
4.7 Noise
Baseline
4.7.1 Environmental noise from the proposed building, breakout through walls, roofs, open doors, fixed plant (e.g. air handling units, air cooled condensers, electricity transformers, ventilation louvres), loading bays and site traffic has the potential to adversely affect noise-sensitive receptors living near the proposed installation.
4.7.2 The proposed scheme will generate significant road traffic, including HGVs, and thus is likely to require quantitative assessment at noise-sensitive receptors off-site. The requirement to assess the noise related impacts from road traffic generated by the proposed development affecting receptors off-site shall be determined in accordance with non-statutory professional Guidance.18 This suggests that noise from road traffic is likely to be insignificant where road traffic is predicted to increase by <33% (as this would result in an increase of <1 dB and where a change in predicted noise of <1 dB is typically considered to be of negligible significance). This shall be confirmed with Glasgow City Council once the traffic generated by the scheme has been confirmed by SYSTRA, the transport consultants acting for the project.
4.7.3 These noise impacts may cause or contribute to sleep disturbance (and thus affect human health). Noise from the installation may also affect amenity inside habitable rooms and in outdoor living areas.
4.7.4 Baseline noise surveys shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements of BS EN 7445: 199119 and BS 4142:2014 +A1:2019.20 The proposed location of baseline monitoring shall be submitted to Glasgow City Council for approval. It is likely that the baseline monitoring scheme will need to consider daytime, evening and night-time
18 IEMA Version 1.2 (November 2014) Guidelines for Environmental Noise Impact Assessment. 19 BSI 1991 BS 7445-2 Description and measurement of environmental noise. Guide to the acquisition of data pertinent to land use. 20 BSI 2019. Method for assessing sound from mixed industrial and commercial operations
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measurements and to be conducted over several different days, to ensure a range of weather conditions and wind directions are considered. All noise surveys shall be conducted using Type 1 sound level meters, with dry roads and where the wind speed is <5m/s at microphone height. The parameters LAeq, LAmax and LA90 shall be reported and a detailed survey log shall be maintained. Baseline monitoring locations will need to include representative conditions at existing dwellings to the west of the B765 Robroyston Road (e.g. at Hilda Crescent) to assess baseline conditions at existing receptors who may be affected by noise from the proposed installation. Baseline noise levels may also need to be measured at dwellings near the Standburn Road/Monument Drive/Robroyston Road roundabout (e.g. at Louden Road) which may be affected by noise from increased road traffic associated with the development. It is anticipated that receptors to the south of the M80 are too distant to be affected by the scheme.
4.7.5 Sound from the proposed installation shall be assessed in accordance with the requirements of BS 4142:2014 + A1:2019. These impacts will be predicted in in accordance with the procedure set out in ISO 961321 as implemented by SoundPlan 8.2 ®. ISO 9613 specifies an engineering method for calculating the attenuation of sound to predict noise levels at a distance from a variety of sources. The method predicts the equivalent continuous A –weighted sound pressure level (LAeq) under meteorological conditions favourable to propagation from sources of known sound emission.
4.7.6 The detailed design for this type of installation is (e.g. from fixed plant) is typically not available at this stage of planning application. Predictions of sound from the installation shall be based on a conceptual design, which will subsequently be used to inform procurement specifications and the requirements for planning conditions. Source estimates will be based on representative estimates from similar operations elsewhere and source estimates used for strategic noise mapping (areas with 22 commercial uses 60 dB LWA during the daytime and evening and 45 dB LWA at night).
4.7.7 Noise from road traffic generated by the proposed scheme affecting noise-sensitive receptors will be predicted in accordance with the method set out in Calculation of 23 Road Traffic Noise (CRTN) as implemented by SoundPlan 8.2 ®. CRTN LA10 18 hour predictions will be converted to LAeq 16 hour in accordance with the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) method adopted for noise mapping in the UK24. The noise model will include 3-D topographical data based on OS Terrain 5 and the results from any site surveys. This may also include updated topographical information that takes account of any significant re-engineering of ground levels. The data used to model road traffic will be obtained from the Transport Assessment for the scheme and may include local
21 ISO 9613:1996 (E) Acoustics – Attenuation of sound during propagation outdoors. Part 1: Calculation of the absorption of sound by the atmosphere; and Part 2 : General method of calculation. 22 European Commission Working Group Assessment of Exposure to Noise (WG-AEN) 5th December 2003. Position Paper. Good Practice Guide for Strategic Noise Mapping and the Production of Associated Data on Noise Exposure. Version 1 23 Department of Transport 1988. Calculation of Road Traffic Noise. 24 Abbot PG & Nelson PM. Converting the UK traffic noise index LA10 18 hour to EU noise indicators for noise mapping TRL PR/SE/45/02 EPG 1/2/37
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ATC surveys and data from published sources25. The predictions may include an adjustment for trunk roads where these are finished with a standard thin surface layer with a typical minimum sound reduction of 2dB compared to the default CRTN prediction.26 No allowance shall be made for the introduction of quieter electric vehicles, so that the predictions for future years are likely to be pessimistic. The assessment shall include a comparison between measured and predicted levels to provide an indication of model uncertainty.
Potential Impacts
4.7.8 Construction noise impacts on existing neighbouring receptors, including receptors in residential areas, have the potential to be significant if not addressed through standard mitigation. Potential impacts can arise from construction traffic, plant, generators, machinery etc and road traffic noise generated by the proposed development.
4.7.9 There are two types of impacts arising from the scheme which are assessed using different criteria: noise from the installation, where the impacts are assessed using BS 4142; and noise from road traffic generated by the development, where impacts are assessed based on the predicted increase in road traffic noise.
4.7.10 Noise from road traffic generated by the scheme and from the installation both have the potential to adversely affect the health and amenity of noise sensitive receptors. PAN 1/2011 Planning and Noise provides advice to planning authorities in Scotland on how they must seek to minimise the adverse impact of noise arising from new development. This Guidance is not prescriptive with respect to specific noise standards, and is mainly concerned with the advising on good practice for environmental noise assessment. The noise impact assessment method set out in PAN 1/2011 Technical Guidance states: "The choice of appropriate criteria noise levels and relevant time periods are the responsibility of the local authority. Although this may lead to inconsistencies between different local authorities and, indeed, across areas within a given local authority, it does provide flexibility, allowing particular circumstances to be taken into account and the use of the latest guideline values to be included where appropriate."
4.7.11 The Technical Advice Note (TAN) issued to accompany the PAN for the assessment of noise proposes a methodology where the noise from the proposed facility is compared to existing ambient noise levels. This methodology is useful when assessing noise from the proposed installation. The TAN refers to the (now superseded) ratings used in BS 4142:1997 to describe environmental noise, but proposes a different assessment framework. The change in ambient noise level resulting from the proposed scheme is used to determine the magnitude of the impact, as described in Table 5 below.
Table 5 – Magnitude of Noise Impacts (from the proposed installation)
25 https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/#15/55.8884/-3.1751/basemap-countpoints 26 TRL, 2010. A review of current research on road surface noise reduction techniques. PPR443
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Magnitude Change in Noise Level dB LAeq T (After – Before) Major >5 Moderate 3 – 4.9 Minor 1 – 2.9 Negligible 0.1 – 0.9 No Change 0
4.7.12 The significance of these effects (from the proposed installation) is assessed according to the magnitude of the impacts and the difference between the specific rated noise level LAr T and the pre-existing background noise level LA90. The scheme suggested by the TAN is set out in Table 6 below. This provides a useful framework for assessment. The potential impact from fixed plant may also be assessed by comparing the predicted internal noise levels inside nearby dwellings to Noise Rating (NR) Curves.
Table 6 - Significance of Effects (from the proposed installation)
Magnitude Sensitivity of Receptor based on likelihood of (from Table #) complaint x = rating level LArT – background LA90 Low (x < 5) Medium High (5 < x < 10) (x > 10) Major Slight/Moderate Moderate/Large Large/Very Large Moderate Slight Moderate Moderate/Large Minor Neutral/Slight Slight Slight/Moderate Negligible Neutral/Slight Neutral/Slight Slight No Change Neutral Neutral Neutral
4.7.13 The TAN proposes a slightly different approach for assessing the impact at existing noise-sensitive receptors from increased road traffic associated with the proposed development. The framework is used to assess the magnitude of change and its significance resulting from road traffic generated by the scheme is set out in Table 7 below.
Table 7 – Assessing Road Traffic Impacts at Existing Noise-Sensitive Receptors
Predicted Change Magnitude Significance dB LAeq T >5 Major adverse Large/Very Large 3 – 4.9 Moderate adverse Moderate/Large 1 – 2.9 Minor adverse Slight/Moderate 0.1 – 0.9 Negligible adverse Slight 0 No Adverse Impact Neutral
Mitigation
4.7.14 The following measures shall be adopted in the proposed design:
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• Design of the layout to ensure that the nearest noise-sensitive receptors are shielded from loading bay noise; • The adoption of other noise mitigation measures including acoustic bunds and acoustic barriers to minimise adverse impacts at noise-sensitive receptors off- site. • All fixed plant and equipment shall be free from tonal and impulsive characteristics. Noise from the combined fixed plant, including building services, and breakout from the building shall be designed to be 5 dBA below the daytime and night-time background sound levels at the nearest noise-sensitive receptors. • The proposed design shall aim to ensure that noise impacts from the installation shall be of no worse than of Slight Adverse significance at any noise-sensitive receptor as defined using the Scottish Government’s TAN assessment framework. The impacts from industrial and commercial noise shall be assessed on the basis of windows on exposed elevations being open for ventilation.
4.7.15 The applicant would produce a CEMP and Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP), the scope of which would be agreed with Glasgow City Council. The principles of BS 5228 2009 Code of practice for noise and vibration control on construction and open sites would be applied.
Likely Significant Effects
4.7.16 The scheme shall aim to ensure that noise impacts affecting all existing noise-sensitive dwellings and other noise sensitive receptors shall, as a worst-case, be no greater than Slight Adverse significance as defined in the Scottish Government’s TAN assessment framework.
4.7.17 The scheme shall aim to ensure that the worst-case noise impacts affecting all existing noise-sensitive receptors shall, as a worst-case, be no greater than Slight Adverse significance as defined in the Scottish Government’s TAN assessment framework.
4.8 Landscape and Visual
4.8.1 The Site lies within the southern portion of Nova Business Park, five miles north east of Glasgow City Centre, approximately 1.3 km west of Glasgow’s boundary with North Lanarkshire and 1.4 km south of the boundary with East Dunbartonshire.
4.8.2 The Site is bounded by Robroyston Road to the west, Robroyston Gate and Robroyston Way to the north, and the M80 to the south east. Access to the southern portion of the business park is via Robroyston Road and two roundabouts at Robroyston Way and Robroyston Gate. To the north the Wallace Well Farm - Dining & Carvery site and northern part of the business park abuts the Site. Beyond lies the residential area of Robroyston, an area of grassland and trees enclosed by Saughs
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Road and the M80, and Glasgow North Retail Park. To the east lies open countryside with Millerston beyond; to the south lies Hogganfield; to the west lies the neighbourhood of Barmulloch with Robroyston Park Local Nature Reserve abutting to the north. The nearest residential properties lie approximately 100 m south west of the site at Hilda Crescent, Robroyston Road and Sheila Street, Barmulloch.
4.8.3 The Site comprises 18.26 Ha of open grassland lying on a shallow gradient from the south to the north between 80-95 m above ordnance datum (AOD). It is bounded by a double row of trees and hedgerow extending from the Wallace Well Farm site to the north; a double row of trees, wire mesh and wooden post and rail fencing separating the Site form the M80 to the south east; and semi mature trees along the western and south-western boundaries, up to 10 m in height.
4.8.4 While open countryside and Robroyston Park lie to the east and north west, respectively, much of the surrounding area is urban and comprises fine grained residential development. The northern part of Nova Business Park and Glasgow North Retail Park comprises more widely spaced, larger built form. The combination of extensive residential development, larger built form, local topography and tree cover limits the Site’s associations with, and influence on, surrounding landscapes and the visual receptors therein. Relatively few locations nearby have views into the Site currently.
4.8.5 The Site lies within the Urban landscape with two landscapes classified by the NatureScot (2019) Landscape Character Assessment adjoining: the ‘Rolling Farmland - Glasgow & Clyde Valley’ Landscape Character Type (LCT) and the Urban Fringe Farmland LCT.
4.8.6 Neither the Site nor the Study Area is covered by any local, regional or national landscape planning designations which would otherwise denote a special value. Robroyston Park Local Nature Reserve (LNR) lies to the immediate north-west of the Site and is likely to be valued locally for its visual amenity and recreational provision.
Potential Impacts
4.8.7 Construction of the Proposed Development will have a direct physical impact on the landscape elements of the Site and will include: the loss of open grassland, preparatory works, implementation of drainage systems, ground works, vehicular movement, lighting and noise. Construction compounds, plant, cranes, site offices, welfare facilities and materials may be introduced. Movement and storage of topsoil and sub soil will be required to enable the installation of utilities and the construction of roads and buildings. Mitigation planting may be carried out during or after the construction phase, depending on the location of the areas to be planted relative to the phasing of the construction works. Buildings, infrastructure and greenspace will be incomplete during this phase.
4.8.8 Once completed, compounds, materials and plant will no longer be on site and the Proposed Development will extend the amount of large-scale built form in the area
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and this may be visible from parts of the local surroundings, although this is likely to be limited due to the woodland around and near to the Site.
4.8.9 During the lifetime of the Proposed Development embedded mitigation comprising landscape planting will mature, softening the appearance of the Proposed Development and supplementing the screening effect of the existing woodland on the Site, which would be retained and managed.
Mitigation
4.8.10 The extent of mature woodland around the site presents an existing and effective mitigation measure to potential landscape and visual effects. The block of woodland extending around the western and southern periphery of the Site, in combination with substantial tree belts along the M8, larger blocks of woodland within Robroyston Park to the west and abutting the Glasgow-Edinburgh rail line to the south, provides effective enclosure of the Site. Extensive urban development within the area also provides screening that limits the potential for significant landscape or visual effects.
4.8.11 A high quality landscaping and planting scheme will be implemented that will include understorey planting to bolster the existing woodland on site.
Likely Significant Effects
4.8.12 The most notable effects of the Proposed Development will arise from direct physical impacts on the landscape elements of the Site and the visual effects arising its construction and operation. While a large area of existing grassland within the Site will be removed, the potential effects of its removal are unlikely to be significant as it is not valued for its rarity, contribution to scenic quality or for its recreational provision. Peripheral woodlands and trees within the Site are to be retained and as such, will not experience potentially significant effects. The landscape context of the Site is predominantly urban but includes the southern fringes of the Rolling Farmland - Glasgow & Clyde Valley LCT and the western tip of the Urban Fringe Farmland LCT. As the Site has little influence on the landscape character of these LCTs, due to screening by built form and tree cover, the potential effects of the Proposed Development are unlikely to be significant.
4.8.13 There is no potential for significant effects on any area designated for its landscape value as none are located within the influence of the Proposed Development. Potential for significant effects on Robroyston Park LNR is limited by effective screening of the Site by landform and tree cover.
4.8.14 Visual effects may be experienced by people within the area immediately surrounding the Site and including the M80 and Robroyston Road. These will be short term effects due to construction activity and long-term effects due to the scale of the proposed building and the activities that will take place on the Site.
4.8.15 The extent of these effects will be greatly limited by mature woodland enclosing the Site and further afield, a combination of local topography, tree cover and urban form.
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More open views to the Site may be possible from locations to the north within the Nova Business Park itself, around Asda - Robroyston and from the M80. However, the existing urban context of these views of the Proposed Development, the transient nature of people within these areas and the activities being undertaken ensures that the visual impacts would not be significant.
4.8.16 Detailed assessment of the effects of the Proposed Development under the EIA regulations are not required, due to the limited potential for significant effects on the landscape elements of the Site and on landscape character; and the limited extent of potentially significant visual effects. Further assessment of these effects within non- statutory environmental reporting is appropriate.
4.9 Cultural Heritage
Baseline
4.9.1 National planning policies and planning guidance, SPP (Scottish Government 2020), HEPS (HES 2019) and PAN2/2011 (Scottish Government 2011), as well as the local planning policies of City of Glasgow Council require a mitigation response that is designed to take cognisance of the possible impacts upon heritage assets, both known and potential, by a proposed development and avoid, minimise or offset any such impacts as appropriate.
4.9.2 A Historic Environment Desk based Assessment will be undertaken to identify the cultural heritage value of the Site proposed for development at Nova Business Park, Robroyston, Glasgow. This will be done by examining a variety of evidence for upstanding and buried remains of heritage interest including designated and non- designated heritage assets within 1km of the Site.
4.9.3 The following data sources have been acquired and are being consulted in the preparation of the Historic Environment Desk Based Assessment:
• West of Scotland Archaeology Service (WoSAS) Historic Environment RecordFor Historic Environment Record data for City of Glasgow; • National Record for the Historic Environment (NRHE) as held by HES; For National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP); National Record of the Historic Environment designated and non-designated Heritage Asset data; • National Map Library (National Library of Scotland, Causewayside, Edinburgh): For old Ordnance Survey maps (1st & 2nd Edition, small- and large-scale) and pre- Ordnance Survey historical maps
4.9.4 All heritage assets located within a 1km radius of the Site will be included in the Historic Environment Desk Based Assessment. The aim of this is to identify the potential for direct impacts upon known archaeological remains and to help predict whether any similar hitherto unknown archaeological remains may survive within the Site.
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4.9.5 No known finds or remains of an archaeological nature are recorded within the National Record of the Historic Environment within the Site.
4.9.6 There are no World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings Inventory Battlefields, Inventory Garden and Designed Landscapes or Conservation Areas within the Site or the 1km Study Area.
4.9.7 A walkover survey of the Site was undertaken on Monday the 20th of April 2021 in clear, dry weather. No finds or features of an archaeological nature were identified during the walkover survey.
Potential Impacts
4.9.8 Anecdotal evidence acquired by Tier Consult suggest that the Site was used for unlicensed “landfill” through the 1950s and 1970s and in 1988 spoil from the construction of the M80 motorway is recorded as being dumped on the Site (Tier Consult, 2021: 16). As such it is likely that there will be low potential for impacts upon finds or features of an archaeological nature to directly impacted upon by the Proposed Development, given the apparent previous disturbance on Site. This will be considered further in the Historic Environment Desk Based Assessment.
4.9.9 Due to the lack of designated assets within 1km of the Site no indirect impacts are anticipated.
Mitigation
4.9.10 The Historic Environment Desk Based Assessment will propose appropriate archaeological mitigation with regard to direct and setting impacts caused by the Proposed Development within the Site.
Likely Significant Effects
4.9.11 No likely significant effects are anticipated. Mitigation proposed by the Historic Environment Desk Based Assessment will also reduce any significant effects should they be identified in the assessment.
4.10 Transport
4.10.1 This section considers the access arrangements for the proposed development along with the potential for significant impacts associated with Traffic and Transport during the construction and operational phases of the proposed development.
Access
4.10.2 Access to the site is from Robroyston Road to the north and sperate access points can be taken from two roundabouts for the southern portion of the site at Robroyston Way and Robroyston Gate. The same access arrangements would be used for both
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the construction and operational stages of the development. No other points of access are anticipated to the external road network. Changes will be made internally to create an internal road network that is suitable to serve the proposed development.
Baseline
4.10.3 The site is located to the south of Junction 2 of the M80 which is a full grade separated diamond interchange with additional links to Robroyston and Millerston. The Robroyston Interchange was constructed as part of the Moodiesburn Bypass scheme which opened in 2011 and is therefore a relatively new section of major infrastructure.
4.10.4 The site is strategically located and benefits from an existing network of footways and cycle infrastructure. There is also a mature public transport network in the area with bus stops available on Robroyston Road adjacent to the site whilst Robroyston Train Station lies some 1.5km to the east.
4.10.5 In 2019 the M80, adjacent to the site, had an annual average daily flow of 45,974 vehicles and the route is a major arterial link to the city of Glasgow and the wider central belt of Scotland.
4.10.6 Recognized sensitive receptors are residential properties located approximately 100 metres south east of the site at Hilda Crescent, Robroyston Road and Sheila Street, Barmulloch. The Greene King restaurant – Wallace Well Farm lie immediately north of the site.
Potential Impacts
4.10.7 The main potential effects of the Development are increased traffic flows, or changes to the traffic composition, as a result of traffic movements during construction and operation of the development. These traffic effects may arise during the construction phase as building materials are brought onto site and waste material is removed while at operation, staff will be travelling in and off the site and HGVs travelling on and off the site will be an important feature of the warehouse / distribution side of the development.
4.10.8 Given the nature of the warehouse development proposals, the majority of traffic entering the site will be generated by staff associated with the office element as well as HGV movements associated with the storage and distribution elements. The new occupier is relocating from existing premises approximately 3 miles from the proposed site. Therefore, traffic will largely be a redistribution of existing movements with an element of new trips due to additional staff and operations on site. Potential impacts are anticipated to be very local in nature and focussed on the road links and junctions in the immediate vicinity of the site.
4.10.9 The proposed development will seek to encourage staff trips by sustainable modes of transport including walking and cycling. There will be a localised increase in walking
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and cycling activity as a result of the development proposals and there will be increased activity levels at local bus stops on Robroyston Road.
Mitigation
4.10.10 Construction traffic impacts will be mitigated through a series of measures that will form part of a comprehensive Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP). The CTMP will contain measures including designated construction vehicle routes, delivery control measures and measures to manage any potential environmental impacts.
4.10.11 The operational traffic generated by the site will be considered within a comprehensive Transport Assessment report. The report will include a traffic modelling exercise which assesses the impact of development generated trips on the surrounding road network including both local and strategic road links. The traffic modelling exercise will determine whether any physical mitigation (in the form of improvements to junctions or road links) is required to support the scheme. Mitigation would likely be limited to capacity improvements to the junctions between the development site and the M80 Interchange and/or M80 slip roads to ensure that the additional traffic associated with the scheme can be accommodated safely and efficiently.
4.10.12 Should mitigation be required the form of any physical road improvements, these would be agreed with Glasgow City Council and Transport Scotland. In addition to potential road infrastructure mitigation, a Travel Plan will be implemented at the site when occupied in order to promote sustainable transport modes and reduce the proportion of development trips being made by car.
4.10.13 No sensitive receptors will be impacted as a result of the scheme given the direct access from Junction 2 of the M80.
Likely Significant Effects
4.10.14 As the development will be served from the adjacent motorway network and local connecting roads which carry a high volume of traffic, it is considered that the traffic impact of the proposed development will be heavily diluted. The IEMA guidelines indicate that detailed assessment of road links should be undertaken in a situation where traffic levels increase by 30%. The development proposals will not generate traffic that would trigger the requirement for additional assessment. Given the nature and scale of the proposed development, a detailed Transport Assessment and Framework Travel Plan will instead be completed based on a scope agreed with Glasgow City Council and Transport Scotland.
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4.11 Material Assets
Baseline
4.11.1 Water – There is a water main which currently supplies the existing properties at Nova Business Park.
4.11.2 Foul Water – There is a Scottish Water foul sewer connection which currently terminates at the site access.
4.11.3 Surface Water - there is no pre-existing SUDS infrastructure on the site. There are areas of ponding water due to perched nature of the groundwater resulting from past land uses. A full SUDS design for the development, in compliance with Sewers for Scotland 4, CIRIA C753 and Glasgow City Council guidance would be provided. Source control will be implemented along with features such as swales or ponds/ underground storage utilised to attenuate flow to the equivalent green field runoff rates and provide the appropriate level of treatment dependent on land use. A Drainage Strategy will be produced and submitted with the planning application.
4.11.4 Gas – There is a medium pressure pipeline (125mm MP PE) which provides a connection at the site access road.
4.11.5 Electricity – there is a high voltage underground 11kV line which serves the site and currently terminates at the site access. The only structure currently present on the Site is an electrical substation located along the northern boundary of the site serving the public house located directly north of the Site. It is understood that the electric substation is understood to have been installed within the past 5 years.
4.11.6 Telecommunications – There is BT infrastructure along the B765 Robroyston Road and also connections to existing properties at Nova Business Park.
4.11.7 Fire Equipment – There is an existing Fire Main connecting Robroyston Oval
4.11.8 Flooding - SEPA flood mapping indicates surface flooding in the NE corner of the site.
4.11.9 Vehicular Access – the development will be accessed from the existing link at Robroyston Gate.
4.11.10 Pedestrian and Cycle Access – The site benefits from pre-existing pedestrian and cycle access to the site via Robroyston Way and Core Path 79 is located opposite the main Nova Business Park access with Robroyston Road.
4.11.11 Use of Materials and Waste - Raw Material use and appropriate waste management facilities will be addressed as part of the proposals.
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4.11.12 Protection of Environmental Assets – Existing features including boundary trees that have been identified for inclusion in the masterplan design and ecological surveys are committed to ensure features are protected as part of the development proposals.
Potential Impacts
4.11.13 The proposals represent construction of a roadside services development and associated infrastructure including roads, utilities, and drainage. Material asset impacts relate to use of natural resources in building materials, demands for water and energy and generation of waste.
4.11.14 The masterplanning process and supporting technical studies will address many of these elements, through high quality sustainable design, use of recycled building materials where possible, and reducing waste and building efficiency in line with the latest Building Regulations.
Mitigation
4.11.15 Construction stage impacts will be addressed through a Construction Environmental Management Plan which would usually be delivered through a planning condition.
4.11.16 Utilities and access arrangements will be agreed with the relevant utilities providers and Glasgow City Council through the Masterplan and associated technical studies.
4.11.17 The masterplanning process and supporting technical studies will address many of these elements through high quality sustainable design, including:
• Securing BREEAM Excellent or Very Good • Use of recycled building materials where possible, reducing waste and building efficiency in line with latest Building Regulations; • Transportation and access arrangements will be agreed with Glasgow City Council through the Transport Assessment or condition discharge process; • Sustainable Drainage Systems will be incorporated into the masterplan and landscape design; • Biodiversity Net Gain and Ecological Protection and Enhancement; and • Waste and recycling facilities will be included within the development.
Likely Significant Effects
4.11.18 With mitigation, we do not anticipate the development to result in significant adverse impacts on material assets.
4.12 Major Accidents and Disasters
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Baseline
4.12.1 In relation to the proposed development site, the key elements considered include more extreme climate and weather events such as storms, extremes of temperature and associated issues like flooding. There are no known sensitivities relating to earthquake and fault zones.
4.12.2 The SEPA Flood Risk Management Mapping records the site to be outside areas of river and coastal flooding. The SEPA Flood Risk Management Mapping records the north eastern boundaries of the site are identified as having ‘High’ risk of surface flooding. A Flood Risk Assessment has concluded the risk of flooding from all sources is considered to be low or not significant.
4.12.3 The site will be connected to mains utilities which are supported by utilities companies in case of impacts or loss of services.
4.12.4 The proposals will include appropriate access for emergency vehicles to access the site.
4.12.5 Development will be advanced in accordance with latest Building Regulations to address fire safety.
Potential Impacts
4.12.6 Potential impacts for a typical commercial development such as that proposed relate to weather related incidents, utilities failures, fire and traffic accidents. Masterplanning, design and technical studies (including SUDS) will secure controls over these factors in line with relevant regulations and best practice.
Mitigation
4.12.7 Severe weather and potential flooding will be covered in the Drainage Strategy and building design. Detailed design and Building Regulations will address site specific elements such as utilities, fire protection etc.
Likely Significant Effects
4.12.8 With mitigation, the development will not result in significant adverse impacts in relation to major accidents and disasters and no further assessment is required.
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Conclusions
5.1.1 This EIA Screening Report provides a summary of the environmental baseline of the proposed development site; identifies any potential impacts of the proposed development and provides high level mitigation options that would be implemented.
5.1.2 On behalf of Tritax Symmetry, a screening opinion is requested from Glasgow City Council in relation to the proposed development under Regulation 8(1) of The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017.
5.1.3 We conclude through the EIA screening exercise and information provided against Regulation 8(2), 8(3) and 8(4) that statutory Environmental Impact Assessment in our opinion is not required. A summary of the key points leading to this conclusion are provided below in relation to Schedule 3 of the Regulations.
Characteristics of the development – size, scale and type
5.1.4 The application site is approximately 18ha and is irregular in shape.
5.1.5 The site is bound to the north by Junction 2 roundabout of the M80. Robroyston Railway Station and park and ride facility is less than 1 mile north east of the site. Robroyston Road runs along the western boundary of the site, adjoining Robroyston Drive along the southern boundary. To the west the topography is marked by a distinct hill, known to be artificially created using arisings from the construction of the adjacent M80. Retail and residential developments are present to the north of the M80 at Robroyston, whilst a railway line is present further to the south.
5.1.6 The site occupies a highly accessible location being adjacent to the M80 motorway, which provides links to Glasgow and Stirling in the central belt of Scotland.
5.1.7 The proposed development layout currently comprises:
• Development of approximately 45.12 Acres / 18.26 Hectares • Vehicular access via Robroyston Way which connects to the B765 Robroyston Road and is approximately 650m to Junction 2 of the M80 Glasgow to Stirling motorway. • Construction of a new 46451.52 m2 warehouse, approximately 63 loading docks and associated infrastructure • Construction of a 52500m2 ancillary office space and associated infrastructure • The height of the Proposed Development has been set at 114.07m AoD (23m AGL) with a Finished Floor Level of 91.07 m AoD • Construction of a fuel and wash station and associated infrastructure • Approximately 372 car parking spaces • Approximately 156 HGV parking spaces • Creation of a new SUDS / drainage system • High quality landscape and amenity design
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5.1.8 The adopted Glasgow City Plan (CDP) (2017) has allocated for economic development. It is also located within the wider Strategic Economic Investment Location (SEIL) as an “Opportunity Site” of Robroyston Nova Technology Park and identified as marketable land in the Council’s established business and industrial land supply.
Location of the Development – Environmental Sensitivities
5.1.9 The site covers a large area of open grassland around the perimeters, very mature landscaping, and trees are present to along the boundary of the entire site, which are listed on the Native Woodland Survey of Scotland (NWSS).
5.1.10 The adopted Glasgow City Development Plan (CDP) (2017) has allocated this site for economic development. The Site is also located within the wider Strategic Economic Investment Location (SEIL) as an “Opportunity Site” as Robroyston Nova Technology Park which supports development proposals within use classes 4, 5, 6 and appropriate ancillary uses. It is also identified as marketable land in Glasgow City Council’s established business and industrial land supply.
5.1.11 There are no watercourses, environmental designations, or historical/cultural designations on the site. The SEPA Flood Risk Management Mapping records the site to be outside areas of river and coastal flooding. The SEPA Flood Risk Management Mapping records the north eastern corner of the site is identified as having ‘High’ risk of surface flooding which would be capable of management and mitigation through a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA), Drainage Strategy (including SUDS) for the development.
5.1.12 The most notable effects of the Proposed Development will arise from direct physical impacts on the landscape elements of the Site and the visual effects arising its construction and operation. While a large area of existing grassland within the Site will be removed, the potential effects of its removal are unlikely to be significant as it is not valued for its rarity, contribution to scenic quality or for its recreational provision. Peripheral woodlands and trees within the Site are to be retained and as such, will not experience potentially significant effects. The landscape context of the Site is predominantly urban but includes the southern fringes of the Rolling Farmland - Glasgow & Clyde Valley LCT and the western tip of the Urban Fringe Farmland LCT. As the Site has little influence on the landscape character of these LCTs, due to screening by built form and tree cover, the potential effects of the Proposed Development are unlikely to be significant.
5.1.13 There is no potential for significant effects on any area designated for its landscape value as none are located within the influence of the Proposed Development. Potential for significant effects on Robroyston Park LNR is limited by effective screening of the Site by landform and tree cover.
5.1.14 Visual effects may be experienced by people within the area immediately surrounding the Site and including the M80 and Robroyston Road. These will be short term effects due to construction activity and long-term effects due to the scale of the proposed building and the activities that will take place on the Site.
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5.1.15 The extent of these effects will be greatly limited by mature woodland enclosing the Site and further afield, a combination of local topography, tree cover and urban form. More open views to the Site may be possible from locations to the north within the Nova Business Park itself, around Asda - Robroyston and from the M80. However, the existing urban context of these views of the Proposed Development, the transient nature of people within these areas and the activities being undertaken ensures that the visual impacts would not be significant.
5.1.16 Detailed assessment of the effects of the Proposed Development under the EIA regulations are not required, due to the limited potential for significant effects on the landscape elements of the Site and on landscape character; and the limited extent of potentially significant visual effects. Further assessment of these effects within non- statutory environmental reporting is appropriate.
5.1.17 The site is not in a location considered to be environmentally sensitive. There is an indication of past mining activity which is common across the central belt of Scotland and will be addressed through appropriate Geo-Environmental / Geo-Technical Assessment included within the planning application.
5.1.18 There is a relatively high existing noise climate at the site, and the context of the ambient noise level being heavily influenced by road traffic, it is considered unlikely that noise emissions from the developed site will have a residual significant effect with appropriate mitigation. A Noise Impact Assessment will be submitted as part of the planning application.
5.1.19 Glasgow City Council has conducted numerous reviews of air quality. The most recently published report (for 2018) reported a slight decline in air pollution compared to previous years and that air quality in Byres Road/Dumbarton Road and Parkhead Cross continued to improve, to the extent that the air quality management area (AQMA) at Parkhead Cross could be revoked. Levels of annual mean exposure to NO2 continues to exceed the annual mean Limit Value in some congested streets within the city centre.
5.1.20 In the short term the potential impacts on local air quality and loss of amenity from dust generating operations during the construction process will be addressed through the CEMP.
5.1.21 Air pollution from road traffic can affect human health through the inhalation of toxic gases and particles. The main pollutants of concern in the study area are likely to be long-term exposure to NO2 and airborne particles e.g. PM10 and PM2.5. The assessment will consider the potential impacts on existing sensitive receptors near affected roads. The details of the proposed method of space heating for the proposed installation have not been determined, but it is likely that this shall be based on ground or air source heat pumps using carbon-neutral electricity, with no atmospheric emissions. There will be an element of gas fired items for the tenant fit out, such as ventilation and hot water
5.1.22 The scheme shall be designed to prevent or minimise the release of atmospheric
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pollutants so that the impacts are of negligible or slight adverse significance as a worst-case.
Likely Significant Effects
5.1.23 It is likely that air quality impacts will be of negligible or slight adverse significance as a worst-case.
5.1.24 There is the potential for significant effects to habitats (ponds) and protected species. However, through appropriate surveys, the integration of survey information into the Masterplanning process, good design and effective construction management, it is likely that impacts to important habitats (e.g. those on the Scottish Biodiversity List) and protected species can be avoided or mitigated to an acceptable level Enhancement measures will be integrated into the Masterplan and Landscape Framework.
Characteristics of potential impacts – likelihood of significance
5.1.25 Overall, the proposed change in land use is not expected to give rise to significant adverse environmental impacts. Where further assessment and mitigation is considered appropriate to inform Masterplanning and detailed design, studies have been committed.
Mitigation
5.1.26 Tritax Symmetry Ltd (TSL) is committed to environmental best practice and protection of local amenity. Proposed non statutory environmental reporting and mitigation includes:
• Landscape Framework with provision of hard and soft landscaping for the development area to ensure a high-quality environment within the site and appropriate boundary treatment and linkages to wider site; • Landscape and Visual Appraisal will follow OPEN’s methodology devised specifically for the assessment of masterplan developments and which generally accords with ‘Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment: Third Edition’ (‘GLVIA3’), as well as the associated Guidance Notes for non-EIA development. • Noise Impact Assessment to establish existing background noise levels, identify sensitive receptors within the vicinity of the site, and recommend specific noise mitigation measures; • Air Quality Impact Assessment to address potential impacts of traffic generated by the proposed development on local air quality; and • Ecological Assessment based on Extended Phase 1 Habitat and protected species survey and assessment with recommendations for mitigation and enhancement
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5.1.27 Technical studies and reporting to be produced and already committed by the applicant include the following:
• Planning Supporting Statement; • Design and Access Statement including masterplan and Landscape Framework inc. details of access, development areas, land use, phasing etc; • Transport Assessment; • Geo-Environmental Assessment • Drainage Strategy setting out proposals for a sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) • Flood Risk Assessment; • Tree Survey; • Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP).
5.1.28 We would welcome further dialogue with Glasgow City Council as part of the EIA Screening and Scoping Report to address any queries regarding the scope of the above studies to be delivered as part of non-statutory environmental reporting.
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APPENDIX 1 – Proposed Scope – Ecological Assessment
The proposed work includes the following:
• Desk study; • An extended Phase 1 habitat survey, incorporating a site walkover for protected species; • Water vole survey; • Reptile survey; • Breeding bird survey; • Great crested newt eDNA survey; and, • Provision of Ecology Report
Desk Study
A desk study will be undertaken of the sites and surrounding area for designated sites and protected species.
Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey
The site and area immediately surrounding it will be mapped to Phase 1 habitat standard. This method provides a standardised system for classifying and mapping the wider countryside (including urban areas) and ensures that surveys are carried out to a consistent level of detail and accuracy.
Use will also be made of target notes in order to provide descriptive information, species lists and the location of rare or localised species and/or habitats with notes taken regarding any protected species that may be recorded on site. Invasive exotics including Japanese knotweed Fallopia japonica, and giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum will be target noted if present.
A walkover survey will take place for protected species within the site boundary and in suitable habitats up to 30m distant, where access is possible. This will include searches for water vole, badgers, otters, amphibians, nesting bird potential and a ground-based assessment of any trees for bat roost potential which may need further survey should removal be required to facilitate development.
Target notes will include the location of activity, and a description, with a 10-figure grid reference. Recommendations for further survey may be made (e.g. more detailed vegetation survey, nesting birds, water vole, more detailed bat survey of trees etc.).
Water Vole Survey
The following signs, where present, will be recorded using an eight-figure grid reference:
• Faeces, • Latrines, • Feeding stations,
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• Burrows, • Footprints, and • Runs or pathways.
To aid in the identification of areas of water vole activity, water vole rafts may be installed within wetter areas (although not known if any present). Water voles will often use such features as latrine sites. Two surveys will take place between April and June inclusive to check for signs of activity.
Reptile Survey
The reptile survey will be carried out using two techniques: direct observation and establishing refuges. Where possible, to follow best practice guidelines, these surveys will be carried out between 8.30 and 11am, and between 4.00 and 6.30pm, under suitable weather conditions (rainy or windy conditions are generally unsuitable). Establishing refuges: In March/April, surveyors will lay out artificial refugia including corrugated iron sheets and bitumastic felt tiles. The refugia will be checked in April once reptiles become active and the refugia have ‘bedded down’ well into the vegetation. The refugia will be approached carefully and quietly, with the surveyors ensuring that their shadows are not cast over the sheets or tiles. Any reptiles basking on top of the refugia will be recorded. The refugia will then be lifted to record any reptiles lying beneath. Where present, the reptiles will be recorded using an eight-figure grid reference. Direct observation: In addition to checking the refugia in March/April, the daytime survey will include searches for basking animals on banks and along the treelines. It is advised that a minimum of seven visits are undertaken. The majority of these should be undertaken during the most profitable months for surveying; April, May and September (Froglife Advice Sheet 10).
Breeding Bird Surveys
A three-visit breeding bird walkover survey is proposed between April and late June (with visits at least 14 days apart) to determine the breeding bird community within and close to the site. The survey will accord with published good practice methods and guidelines and a suitable buffer will be surveyed (depending on access). As a result of the desk study and/or initial breeding bird survey visit, additional and species-specific surveys may be recommended.
Great Crested Newt Environmental DNA Survey
This method of ascertaining presence/absence requires only one visit in the daytime between 15th April and 30th June. It should be carried out by a licensed great crested newt surveyor in accordance to the methods described in the Defra technical report: http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&Proj ectID=18650&FromSearch=Y&Publisher=1&SearchText=wc1067&SortString=ProjectCode&S ortOrder=Asc&Paging=10#Description
It should be noted that this method determines presence or absence only and does not provide any indication of population size. Where a positive result is obtained, further surveys will be required.
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APPENDIX 2 – Proposed Scope – Landscape and Visual Impact Appraisal
Survey & Assessment Methodology
The Landscape and Visual Appraisal (LVA) will follow OPEN’s methodology devised specifically for the assessment of masterplan developments and which generally accords with ‘Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment: Third Edition’ (‘GLVIA3’), as well as the associated Guidance Notes for non-EIA development.
Other sources of guidance that will be used and referenced in the LVA include the following:
• Landscape Institute (2019). Visual Representation of Development Proposals, Technical Guidance Note 06/19; and • Landscape Character Assessment Guidance for England and Scotland (SNH and TCA, 2002).
The study area for the LVA of the Proposed Development will cover a radius of 2 km from the Proposed Development site. This is considered to be the maximum radius within which landscape or visual effects could occur given the height of the building that is being considered, as well as the extent of existing woodland and trees around the Site.
A preliminary assessment initiated through a desk study of the Site and Study Area has identified aspects of the landscape and visual resource that will need to be considered in the LVA, including:
• Landscape elements on the Site; • Rolling Farmland - Glasgow & Clyde Valley (LCT 200); and • Representative viewpoints.
Four viewpoints are proposed for appraisal, representing the few localised locations with likely visibility of the Proposed Development. These locations are shown on Figure 1 and listed below along with their grid references.
• Viewpoint 1: M80 (263565 / 668068); • Viewpoint 2: Quarrywood Avenue (262514 / 667840); • Viewpoint 3: Robroyston Road adjacent to Asda (263270 / 668577); • Viewpoint 4: Robroyston Road adjacent to Rowan House (263191 / 668308).
It is proposed that visualisations would be prepared in accordance with Landscape Institute Technical Guidance (2019) and include baseline views and Type 4, AVR Level 2 photomontages illustrating the finalised 3D modelled information showing the operational development without and with mitigation planting following 15 years of establishment, during daytime. Type 4, AVR Level 2 photomontages would show the location, size, massing and degree of visibility of the proposal within a 3D context represented by the photograph - that is, what can and cannot be seen. In addition, they would illustrate architectural form such as doors, windows and floor levels, and provide a sense of the form and shading of the development within its context.
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The desk study has utilised Geographic Information System (GIS) software to explore the potential visibility of the Proposed Development through the production of a Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) map. The ZTV has been generated to demonstrate the extent to which the Proposed Development may theoretically be seen from any point in the study area and is shown in Figure A1.
The ZTV is calculated based on the height of the landform relative to the height of the buildings in the Proposed Development. The height of the Proposed Development has been set at 114.07m AoD (23m AGL) with a Finished Floor Level of 91.07 m AoD. Figure 1 is based on a bare earth landform model, which does not take into account the screening effect of trees, hedgerows, hedgerow trees, buildings or other local features in calculating theoretical visibility. The ZTV presents a conservative worst case assumption in respect of theoretical visibility and this is highlighted in the limitations set out below.
There are limitations in the production of ZTVs, and these should be considered in their interpretation and use:
• The ZTV illustrates the ‘bare earth’ situation and does not take into account the screening effects of vegetation, buildings, or other local features that may prevent or reduce visibility; • The ZTV is based on theoretical visibility from 2m above ground level; and • The ZTV is based on 5m data grid (OS Terrain 5).
These limitations mean that while the ZTV presents a useful starting point in the assessment, by providing an indication of locations from where the Proposed Development would theoretically be visible, the information drawn from the ZTV is checked in the field, to ensure that the assessment conclusions represent the likely actual visibility of the project.
The LVA is intended to determine the effects that the Proposed Development would have on the landscape and visual resource. For the purposes of the assessment, the potential effects on the landscape and visual resource are grouped into three categories:
• Effects on landscape elements: effects on landscape elements are restricted to the area within the Site and are the direct effects on the existing fabric of the Site. • Effects on landscape character: landscape character is the distinct and recognisable pattern of elements that occurs consistently in a particular type of landscape and the way that this pattern is perceived. Effects on landscape character arise either through the introduction of new elements that physically alter this pattern of elements or through visibility of the Proposed Development that may alter the way in which the pattern of elements is perceived. This category of effects is made up of landscape character receptors, which fall into two groups; landscape character areas and landscape-related designated areas. • Effects on views: the assessment of the effects on views is an assessment of how the introduction of the proposed development would affect views throughout the Study Area. The assessment of effects on views is carried out in relation to representative viewpoints.
The geographic extent over which the landscape and visual effects would be experienced is also assessed, which is distinct from the size or scale of effect. This evaluation is not combined
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in the assessment of the level of magnitude but instead is used in determining the extent in which a particular magnitude of change is experienced and the extent of the significant and non-significant effects. The extent of the effects would vary depending on the specific nature of the Proposed Development and is principally assessed through analysis of the geographical extent of visibility of the Proposed Development across the landscape or principal visual receptor.
The duration and reversibility of effects on views are based on the period over which the Proposed Development is likely to exist, and the extent to which the Proposed Development will be removed and its effects reversed at the end of that period. Duration and reversibility are not incorporated into the overall magnitude of change and may be stated separately in relation to the assessed effects.
The ‘nature of effects’ relates to whether the effects of the Proposed Development are adverse, neutral or beneficial.
Consultation Proposals
In respect of the LVA, there has been no consultation carried out with stakeholders during the pre-scoping phase. As part of the scoping phase, stakeholders are being asked to comment on the proposed scope of the proposed LVA as set out in this Scoping Report. The questions for consultation, in the section below, highlight those areas where feedback from stakeholders would be most useful. In particular, comments from Glasgow City Council are sought in respect of agreement to the proposed methodology and the viewpoint selection.
Questions for Consultees
• Do you agree with the proposed methodology for the LVA outlined above? • Do you agree with scoping in an assessment of the direct effect on landscape elements within the Site? • Do you agree that scope of the LVA should focus on: the direct and indirect effects on the landscape elements and character of the Site and the surrounding Rolling Farmland – Glasgow & the Clyde Valley LCT; and the visual effects that would occur in the vicinity of the five representative viewpoints? • Do you agree with the proposed locations of the four representative viewpoints and the method outlined for the preparation of the photomontages?
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Figure A1 - ZTV and Viewpoints
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